Chapter 17

September arrived, and it was time for Shen Chutang to start school.

Shen Chutang didn’t go to the private high school her family ran. Instead, she went to A University Affiliated High School. First, because Xie Tong got into this school, and second, because Shi Chengyu went to this high school as well.

On the first day of school, Shi Chengyu drove her to the school building. Shen Chutang was afraid of being late, so she quickly said goodbye to him and ran out of the car. Shi Chengyu watched her run away and smiled helplessly.

As soon as Shen Chutang entered the classroom, she saw Xie Tong sitting in the back row. When she got closer, she called out, “Xie Tong!”

“Tangtang! You’re finally here!” Xie Tong took her backpack and put it beside her. “I was waiting impatiently.”

“Here, I brought you some snacks.”

Shen Chutang sat down beside her, looking at the pile of snacks on the desk. She was surprised. “It’s only the first day of school, Tongtong! Are you going to open a supermarket in the classroom?”

She stuffed the snacks into the desk drawer as she spoke. “But I can’t eat anything now. I’ll eat later.”

“Okay, great, Tangtang. We can take classes together again.” Xie Tong hugged her arm and shook it. “Tangtang, you’d be even better if you had a little more meat on you, all soft and fragrant.”

Shen Chutang pinched her face. “Then you can hug yourself.”

On the first day of school, most of the students in the class were from the junior high school. Those who knew each other chatted like Shen Chutang and Xie Tong.

Shen Chutang was wiping the desk with a tissue, listening to Xie Tong chattering away, when someone suddenly kicked her desk. “Can you two change seats? I want to sit here.”

Shen Chutang paused, looked up, and saw a girl standing next to Xie Tong’s desk. She was baffled.

Xie Tong looked at the girl and remained polite. “Sorry, we want to sit here too. We’re not changing.”

The desk was kicked twice more, shaking. The snacks inside fell out. Shen Chutang bent down to pick them up and brushed off the dust. A smile curled on her lips. “Classmate, of course, the seat isn’t just whoever grabs it first, but it’s not like you can just say you want to sit here and we have to let you.”

“If you really have a reason why you must sit here, you can tell us, and we’ll decide whether to let you or not.”

Shen Chutang looked obedient, usually acting cute and playful in front of her family. But if you thought she was a naive little girl, you were wrong. Over the years, she had been around Shi Chengyu and the others. Even if she hadn’t studied with them, the things she had learned through osmosis were enough.

Wu Shuyao glanced at the side, her face flushed. She had been sitting in this seat in the junior high school, and she was really annoyed that the two new transfers had taken her spot.

The girl was about to say something, but someone walked over and tried to smooth things over. “Yaoyao, we’ll choose seats according to our exam scores later. You’ll definitely get this seat. The teacher will be here soon. Find a seat first.”

Wu Shuyao snorted disdainfully and turned to leave.

Shen Chutang and Xie Tong looked at each other and smiled in unison.

Two minutes later, a male teacher walked in and began to introduce himself. “Hello, everyone. I’m your homeroom teacher. My name is Lin Yan. I’ll be leading you all in your studies for the new semester.”

“Most of you are from the junior high school, so you’re familiar with the school rules. But there are also some students from other schools. From now on, you’re all part of a collective. You need to get along peacefully and help each other.”

“Next, we’ll choose seats according to your junior high school exam scores. The same will apply for every monthly exam after that. Please wait outside the classroom. I’ll call out your names one by one.”

A wave of noise erupted. Xie Tong pulled Shen Chutang out of the classroom. They passed the girl from before without even looking at her.

“Shen Chutang.” Lin Yan called out the first name. He added, “Shen Chutang not only got the highest score in our class, but she also got the second-highest junior high school exam score in the history of this school.”

Some people in the crowd started talking. “Who got first place?”

“You don’t know? Shi Chengyu from the Shi family. He’s not only handsome, but he’s also good at academics…”

Although Shi Chengyu had graduated for many years, the Shi family was an undeniable presence in the circle. Almost everyone knew Shi Chengyu. He was capable, talented, and had such a handsome face.

Handsome? Xie Tong thought these people were crazy. Shi Chengyu had snitched on her, and she would remember it forever. He wouldn’t even think about going to her dad and snitching on her for bringing too many snacks for Shen Chutang. What kind of “spectacle” would that be.

“Xie Tong.”

Called by name, Xie Tong ran inside. Shen Chutang had already sat in her previous seat and was organizing her desk.

“Tangtang, what a coincidence.” Xie Tong joked, pretending it was a coincidence.

Shen Chutang glanced at her and smiled. “Not a coincidence. I was waiting for you.”

Only the two of them were in the classroom. More and more people came in. After a while, Shen Chutang saw the girl from before come in. She glared at them, kicking her chair, making a loud noise.

After choosing seats, they received their textbooks. Shen Chutang took the snacks out of her desk drawer and put them in her backpack. She wrote her name on the covers of the books, put them away one by one, and then helped Xie Tong write hers as well, after Xie Tong’s begging.

During break time, Xie Tong went to get water, and Shen Chutang lay on her desk to catch some sleep.

She hadn’t slept for long when someone kicked her desk again.

This was the third time. Shen Chutang lifted her head, her face now cold. She looked at her quietly, sitting there, but her aura was not weak at all.

Wu Shuyao suddenly felt a little scared looking at her eyes, but she still mustered her courage. “Go tell the teacher you want to change seats.”

Shen Chutang laughed as if she had heard something funny. “Classmate, did you go to the wrong class? You should be going to kindergarten, not high school.”

“Yeah, if your intelligence isn’t up to high school, go back to kindergarten.” Xie Tong walked over, put her water cup on the desk, and said angrily.

How annoying. The seat didn’t have her name on it, why did she have to sit there.

The girl in front of them turned around and whispered to them, “If you don’t want to, just change seats. Her dad is the school board member.”

Shen Chutang calmly replied “oh” and started drinking her water. Xie Tong also looked indifferent. Seeing that they didn’t care, the girl in front of them turned back.

Wu Shuyao snorted. “I just want to sit here, what’s wrong with that? I want to sit wherever I want. I’m just giving you face by asking you to tell the teacher.”

“If you don’t go, I’ll go and tell the teacher. Don’t feel embarrassed if you get kicked out of the class later!”

“Oh, you’re so kind, so powerful.” Xie Tong had a knack for insults. She clapped her hands sarcastically.

Shen Chutang was amused and laughed.

“Come on, Tangtang. I’m so scared of being kicked out and embarrassed. Let’s go out now.”

Xie Tong pulled Shen Chutang’s arm and stood up, directly passing the girl.

“Stop! Did I say you could leave?!” Wu Shuyao shouted.